Artists: Feliza Bursztyn, Leyla Cárdenas, Johanna Calle, Danilo Dueñas, César González, Rosario López, Maria Fernanda Plata, Alex Rodríguez, Luis Roldán, Rosemberg Sandoval, Bernardo Salcedo e Icaro Zorbar.
Pensamiento escultórico
July 22, 2016 – August 27, 2016
Casas Riegner
Bogotá, Colombia
Nowadays, the term sculpture holds certain ambiguity. Throughout the twentieth century, the artistic category of sculpture remained fragile partly due to the fact that most of the significant accounts of modernist art were articulated in relation to painting. In addition, during the late 1960’s the term sculpture was stretched and made malleable so as to cover highly heterogeneous forms, thus moving away from the so called medium specificity that used to define it. Feeling the need to bring order to the field in which contemporary sculpture operated and attempting to fight the so-called pluralism that characterized much of the art that was being produced after 1968, Rosalind Krauss published her seminal essay “Sculpture in the Expanded Field” (1978).
Besides taking inspiration from the precepts and intentions laid out by Krauss in her famous essay, the exhibition Pensamiento Escultórico is put forward as a space for reflecting about sculpture. By questioning the extent to which sculpture has changed as a result of this transformation from object like to installation-oriented work, the exhibition seeks, among other things, to highlight the body’s experience in relation to the three-dimensional work. The absence of some of the traditional ways of producing sculpture such as carving, casting and modelling, the occasional elimination or renewal of the pedestal, the use of highly charged materials and the act of undoing the substance from which the work is made of, are all strategies that while going beyond the limits of traditional artistic canons, point to a constant rethinking of the artists’ sculptural perspectives.
September 2, 2016 Bernardo Ortiz https://abstractioninaction.com/artists/bernardo-ortiz/Translated from Spanish
Statement 5 of 12 (“Formalist”)
“My work aims to point out a fissure (or a void, or a distance) between the support—a page, a sheet of paper, a wall—and its content—a mark, two words, several stains, a color. From this viewpoint, the work seems like a snake that bites its own tail. If content affects the support, the latter returns to affect the content. As a general rule, the interventions on the support are always minimal—hard pencils that leave very delicate and almost invisible lines, very light papers, very thin layers of paint. In this sense, the “page” determines what can happen in it. It can be for example the contrast between the transparency of the paper and the opacity of gouache, the weight of oil or the density of enamel. At other times these can be slight differences between two identical drawings. For example, a drawing that says “He found happiness” next to one that says “He found A happiness.” The way in which some formal strategies can be used to say things. In this sense, they are literary drawings about paintings. Reproductions within pages.”
Statement No. 5 de 12 (“Formalista”)
“Mi trabajo busca señalar una grieta (o un vacío, o una distancia) entre un soporte –una página, una hoja de papel, una pared– y su contenido –un rayón, dos palabras, varias manchas, un color. Visto así, el trabajo parece una serpiente que se muerde la cola. Porque si el contenido afecta al soporte, este se devuelve afectando el contenido. Como regla general, las intervenciones sobre el soporte son casi siempre mínimas –Lápices muy duros que dejan líneas muy delgadas y casi invisibles, papeles muy livianos, capas muy delgadas de pintura. En ese sentido la “página” determina lo que pueda pasar en ella. Puede ser, por ejemplo, el contraste entre la transparencia del papel y la opacidad del gouache, el peso del óleo o la densidad del esmalte. Otras veces pueden ser pequeñas diferencias entre dos dibujos iguales. Por ejemplo: un dibujo que dice “He found happiness” (él encontró la felicidad) al lado de otro que dice “He found A happiness” (él encontró UNA felicidad). La manera en que ciertas estrategias formales pueden ser aprovechadas para decir cosas. En ese sentido son dibujos literarios acerca de pinturas. Reproducciones en páginas”.
Selected Biographical Information
Education / Training
- 2000-2002: MA in Philosophy, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
- 1990-1995: BFA in Art, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
Solo Exhibitions
- 2013: “Ensayo”, Casas Riegner, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2013: “Game Piece (with Erick Beltrán)“, TBA 21-Augarten, Vienna, Austria.
- 2011: “Dibujos”, Casas Riegner, Bogotá , Colombia.
- 2003: “Dibujos”, Galeria Jenny Vilá, Cali, Colombia.
- 1995: “Dibujos”, Galería Jenny Vilá, Cali, Colombia.
Group Exhibitions
- 2013: “Imperfect Idler or When Things Dissapear. I Bienal Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo”, Fundación Bienal Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo de Cartagena, Cartagena , Colombia.
- 2013: “Secret Codes”, Galeria Luisa Strina, São Paulo, Brazil.
- 2013: “The Circle Walked Casually”, Deutsche Bank Kunsthalle, Berlin, Germany.
- 2013: “Conferencia performativa: nuevos formatos, lugares, prácticas y comportamientos artísticos”, MUSAC, León, Spain.
- 2013: “Saber Desconocer, 43 Salón (Inter) Nacional de Artistas”, Ministerio de Cultura de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia.
- 2013: “Prix Canson Nominees Exhibition”, Petit Palais, Paris, France.
- 2013: “Música”, Casas Riegner, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2013: “Marking Language”, Drawing Room, London, England.
- 2012: “30th São Paulo Bienal. The inminence of poetics”, Fundação Bienal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
- 2012: “Ficciones Modernas”, Camara de Comercio de Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2012: “Empatía”, Casas Riegner, Bogota , Colombia.
- 2012: “Modelling Standard”, Galeria Joan Prats, Barcelona, Spain.
- 2012: “Air de Lyon”, Fundación Proa, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- 2011: 11e Biennale de Lyon. “Une terrible beauté est née”, La Biennale de Lyon, Lyon, France.
- 2011: “El ojo del coleccionista: la colección Maraloto”, Banco de la República, Biblioteca Luis Angel Arango, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2011: “Boceto, trampa e instalación”, Banco de la República, Biblioteca Luis Angel Arango, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2010: “Primera e ultima: Notas sobre o monumento”, Galeria Luisa Strina, São Paulo, Brazil.
- 2007: “Documenta Magazines”, Documenta 12, Kassel, Germany.
- 2007: “MDE07”, Museo de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
Publications
- Bernardo Ortiz, “A Pile of Orange Peels“, OEI # 60-61 Extra-disciplinary spaces and de-disciplinizing moments (in and out of the 30th Bienal de São Paulo), April.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Criticism and Experience“, E-Flux Journal, February 2010.
Collections
- Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA.
- Centre National de Artes Plastiques, Paris, France.
- Deutsche Bank, Berlin, Germany.
- Kadist, San Francisco, Paris, USA, France.
- Colección Maraloto, Bogotá, Colombia.
- Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, New York, USA.
- Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertulia, Cali, Colombia.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 2012, Gouache and rubber stamp on printed paper, 25 x 75 cm. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 1995-2012, Gouache, pencil and fungus on paper, 25 x 35 cm. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 2012, India ink on paper, 25 x 35 cm. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 2012, India ink and oil on waxed paper, 25 x 35 cm. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 2012, Gouache on paper, 25 x 35 cm. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 2013, Graphite wash on paper, 25 x 35 cm. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 2013, Gouache, pencil, cloth tape on waxed paper, 25 x 35 cm. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 2013, Graphite wash and typescript on paper, 50 x 35 cm. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Paper”, 2013, Giclee prints mounted on wooden structure, 300 x 600 cm. Photo credit: Eduard Fraipont.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 2012, Pencil on paper, 25 x 35 cm. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 2012, India ink and rubber stamp on paper, 25 x 35 cm. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 2013, Cyanotype, 70 x 100 cm. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 2013, Pencil and typescript on paper mounted with wooden studs, 75 x 140 cm. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 1995-2012, Gouache, pencil and fungus on paper, 25 x 35 cm. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve.
- Bernardo Ortiz, “Untitled”, 2013, Pencil and india ink on paper, 35 x 25 cm. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.
I studied Architecture and Industrial Design. My artistic practice reflects in a highly distinctive way my training in these two dissimilar yet interconnected fields. My works include objects, sculptures, writings, spatial constructions and site-specific interventions, using a vocabulary that points directly to the history of art and architecture.
Traducido del inglés
Estudié arquitectura y diseño industrial. Mi práctica artística refleja de manera significativa mi educación en estos dos campos tan diferentes pero tan interrelacionados. Mis obras incluyen objetos, esculturas, escritos, construcciones espaciales e intervenciones de sitio específico, usando un vocabulario que apunta de manera directa a la historia del arte y la arquitectura.
Selected Biographical Information
Education / Training
- 2000: Industrial Design, Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Bogotá, Colombia.
Prizes / Fellowships
- 2012: Irregular Hexagon, Colombian Art in Residence (curated by José Roca), Cer Modern, Ankara, Turkey / Gertrude Contemporary, Melbourne, Australia.
- 2010: Grant, CIFO Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, Miami, FL, USA.
- 2009: Gasworks, International Residency Programme, London, UK.
- 2004: Premio Ciclo de Fotografía y Nuevos Medios, Alianza Francesa, Bogotá, Colombia.
Solo Exhibitions
- 2013: “Gabriel Sierra”, Casas Riegner Gallery, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2013: “Thus Far”, Peephole, Milan, Italy.
- 2011: “A Trip to Vienna Like Bruno Munari”, Galerie Martin Janda, Vienna, Austria.
- 2010: “Sem Titulo”, Sugestao de conversa entre uma janela nua e uma paisaegem indiscreta, Luisa Strina Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil.
- 2008: “Apéndice”, Casas Riegner Gallery, Bogotá, Colombia.
Group Exhibitions
- 2013: “Carnegie International”, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, USA.
- 2013: “Le Futur Commence Ici”, FRAC Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France.
- 2013: “Saber Desconocer”, Salón Nacional de Artistas, Medellín, Colombia.
- 2012: “K”, Wattis Institute for Contemporary Art, San Francisco, USA.
- 2012: “( )”, Kadist Art Foundation, San Francisco, USA.
- 2012: “The Ungovernables”, The Second New Museum Triennial, New Museum, New York, USA.
- 2011: “Untitled”, 12 Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, Turkey.
- 2011: II Biennale d’Art Contemporain de Lyon, Lyon, France.
Publications
- 2012: Frenzel, Sebastian. Wie wollen wir leben?…über den Dingen. Monopol. Magazin für Kunst und Leben. April, 2012. P. 58-59.
- 2011: Brunner, Bettina. Gabriel Sierra, Galerie Martin Janda. Frieze d/e. Issue 1, summer 2011. P.138.
- 2011: Frenzel, Sebastian. Schaut auf dieses Land. Monopol. Magazin für Kunst und Leben. April, 2011. P. 32-45.
- 2011: Katrib, Ruba. Customized. Mousse. Contemporary Art Magazine. Issue 28, April-May
- 2010: Bossa, Paula; Martínez, Erika. Tropicality: More than Parrots and Banana Trees. Flash Art. May – June Issue. P.94-97.
- 2009: Mazzucchelli, Kiki. 28th São Paulo Biennial. Flash Art, Vol. XLII, No. 264. January – February Issue. P.42.
- 2009: Pedrosa, Adriano. Openings: Gabriel Sierra. Artforum Internacional. November Issue.
- 2009: Trezzi, Nicola. 41 Salón Nacional de Artistas. Flash Art. March – April Issue. P.42.
Links
- Gabriel Sierra, “Sin título (El día como hueco en la mitad de la noche)”, 2013, Intervention (modified gallery floor), Variable dimensions, 11 Biennale de Lyon, France. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.
- Gabriel Sierra, “Untitled, Sctructures for Transition”, 2008, Intervention (wood, screws), Variable dimensions, Casas Riegner Gallery, Bogotá, Colombia. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist and Casas Riegner Gallery.
- Gabriel Sierra, Untitled, Structures for Transition #9, (pense-bête), 2011 intervention (wood, screws), Variable dimensions, site-specific project, Art Parcour, Raum 33, ArtBasel. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist and Casas Riegner Gallery.
- Gabriel Sierra, “EndsMiddlesBeginnings”, 2008-2012, Intervention (metal, wood, cloth, paint, plaster), Variable dimensions, site-specific project, Planos de Fuga, CCBB, São Paulo. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.
- Gabriel Sierra, “Untitled (Background, Figure, Figure, Background)”, 2008-2012, Intervention (wood, paint, plaster), Variable dimensions, Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, Coloragod. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist and Casas Riegner Gallery.
- Gabriel Sierra, “( )”, 2012, Intervention (wood, paint, plaster), Variable dimensions, Kadist Art Foundation, San Francisco, California. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.
- Gabriel Sierra, “Untitled (Marginalia)”, 2011, Intervention (wood, paint, plaster), Variable dimensions, Casas Riegner Gallery, Bogotá, Colombia. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist and Casas Riegner Gallery.
- Gabriel Sierra, “Untitled (The Devil in the Shape of a 2×4)”, 2011, Intervention (wood, ladder, folding table, level, mdf, plaster, paint), Variable dimensions, The Ungovernables, The New Museum Triennial. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.
- Gabriel Sierra, “Untitled, Bilancia Calendar”, 2009, Modified replica of 1959 design by Enzo Mari, wood, paint, nails, 48 x 8.7 x 1.6 cm. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.
- Gabriel Sierra, “Untitled, Interrupted shelf #1”, 2009, Sculpture (wood, fabric, hinges, magnets, paint), Variable dimensions. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.
- Gabriel Sierra, “Sin título, estructuras para transición #10 (¿Qué hora es afuera?)”, 2008-2013, Agglomerate boards and screws, Variable dimesions, Casas Riegner Gallery, Bogotá, Colombia. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist and Casas Riegner Gallery.
- Gabriel Sierra, “Sin título (todos los terrenos)”, 2012-2013, Laminated cedar and varnish, 124 x 24 x 2 cms. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist and Casas Riegner Gallery.
- Gabriel Sierra, “Pocket Square”, 2009, Sculpture (wood, paint, fabric, magnets), 33 x 33 x 1.5 cm. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.
- Gabriel Sierra, “Infinito Particular”, 2010, Sculpture (wood and apple), 170 x 7 x 4 cm, Art Statements, ArtBasel Miami Beach. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist and Casas Riegner Gallery.
- Gabriel Sierra, “Sin título”, 2010, Sculpture (wood and magazine), 80 x 7 x 2 cm, Art Statements, ArtBasel Miami Beach. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist and Casas Riegner Gallery.
Selected Biographical Information
Education / Training
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, cinco años, Arquitecto. Bogota, Colombia.
- Atelier 17, S.W. Hayter, Grabado Moderno, Paris, France.
- Art History, L’ Ecole du Louvre, Paris, France.
Prizes / Fellowships
- 2000: Premio Luis Caballero, Segunda Versión, IDCT, Alcaldia Mayor de Bogotá, Colombia.
- 1996: 1er premio pintura, XXXVI SALON NACIONAL DE ARTISTAS, Instituto Colombiano de Cultura, Colcultura, Corferias, Bogota, Colombia.
- 1992: Mencion, XXXV SALON NACIONAL DE ARTISTAS, Instituto Colombiano de Cultura, Colcultura, Corferias, Bogota, Colombia.
- 1990: Visual Arts New Work Award, Wisconsin Arts Board.
- 1989: Milwaukee County Artists Fellowship.
- 1984: Jury Award, SMALL WORKS, (Eight Annual Contest), Galleries, 80 Washington Square East, New York University, N.Y., USA.
- 1979: Icetex Fellowship for Art Studies Abroad.
Solo Exhibitions
- 2013: “MECHANICAL VENTILATION”, Henrique Faria Fine Arts, New York, USA.
- 2011: “SALTO TEQUENDAMA”, Galeria Casas Reigner, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2010: “OTRAS VOCES”, Faria & Fabregas Galeria, Caracas, Venezuela.
- 2010: “REVISION”, New Mexico State University Art Gallery, Las Cruces, NM, USA.
- 2009: “CIRCUNSTANCIAS”, Galeria Casas Riegner, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2007: “TERRITORIOS”, Galeria Casas Riegner, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2006: “PERMUTANTES”, Cámara de Comercio de Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2006: “ACERCA DE LAS ESTRUCTURAS”, MADC, Costa Rica.
- 2005: “PERMUTANTES”, Sala Mendoza, Caracas, Venezuela.
- 2005: “FRAGMENTED DREAMS”, Amelie A. Wallace Gallery, SUNY College at Old Westbury, New York, USA.
- 2005: “MARGENES PARALELAS”, Galeria Casas Riegner, Bogotá, Colombia.
Group Exhibitions
- 2013: “PERMANENCIA DEL ARTE GEOMETRICO”, Galeria Frances Wu, Lima, Peru.
- 2012: “TRACING TIME”, Josée Bienvenu Gallery, NY, USA.
- 2012: “X BIENAL MONTERREY FEMSA”, Exposición Sextanisqatsi –Curado por José Roca, Monterrey, Mexico.
- 2010: “THEN AND NOW”, Abstraction in Latin American Art 1950-present, 60 Wall Gallery, Deutsche Bank, NY, USA.
- 2009: “VENICE BIENNALE“, Pabellón de América Latina IILA “Mundus Novus ”, Artiglierie dell’Arsenale.
- 2008: “PROYECTOS ESPECIALES”, ARCO, Madrid, Spain.
- 2008: “FORMA, LINEA, GESTO, ESCRITURA”, MuVIM, Valencia, Spain.
- 2007: “LINEA CONTINUA”, Lugar a Dudas, Cali, Colombia.
- 2006: “MARCAS REGISTRADAS”, Museo Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2006: “ESTRECHO DUDOSO”, Teoretica, Costa Rica.
- 2004: “DIBUJOS”, Johana Calle – Luis Roldán, Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- 2004: “DIBUJOS”, Johann Calle – Luis Roldán, Museo de Arte Moderno de Montevideo.
- 2004: “URBES INTERIORES”, BLLA, Banco de la República, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2003: “VIOLOGY”, University of the Pacific.
- 2002: “VIOLOGY”, Galeria de la Raza, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Collections
- Bibilioteca Luis Angel Arango, Bogota, Colombia.
- Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, USA.
- Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá, Colombia.
- Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertulia, Cali, Colombia.
- Museo de Arte Moderno Medellin, MAM, Colombia.
- Museo de Arte Latinoamericano, Managua, Nicaragua.
- Museo de Arte Universidad Nacional de Bogotá, Colombia.
- Museo Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá MADC, Costa Rica.
- Museo del Barrio, New York, USA.
- The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., USA.
- Colección Suramericana, Medellín, Colombia.
- The Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros (CPPC), USA.
- Banco Mercantil, Caracas, Venezuela.
- Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, USA.
- Celarg Foundation, Caracas, Venezuela.
- Teorética, Costa Rica.
- Drawing Collection of the Deutsche Bank, New York, USA.
- Coleccion FEMSA, Monterrey, Mexico.
- Luis Roldán, “Reflexiones, : III”, 1990, Series: Reflexiones, Oil on linen, 183 x 157 cm. Photo credit: Tom Bamberger
- Luis Roldán, “Calendario”, 1996, Detrito, wood, 300 x 900 cm. Museo Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. Photo credit: Clemencia Poveda
- Luis Roldán, “Parque de la independencia,Alicia…”, 1994, Series: Parque de la independencia, Oil on linen, 250 x 320 cm. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve
- Luis Roldán, “Que estoy haciendo aqui”, 1999-2000, Graphite, paper, Installation view and details. Image courtesy of the artist
- Luis Roldán, “To be young and homeless”, 2002, Series: To be young and homeless, Oil on linen, 190 x 200 cm. Image courtesy of the artist
- Luis Roldán, “Columbrares”, 2006, Series: Margenes Paralelas, Ink, acrylinc on linen, 122 x 136 cm.
- Luis Roldán, “Columbrares”, 2005, Series: Margenes Paralelas, Ink, acrylinc on linen, 122 x 136 cm.
- Luis Roldán, “Desdoblado”, 2006, Series: Sueños, Torn sheet, 186 X 320 com. Location: BLAA, Bogotá.
- Luis Roldán, “Antipolar”, 2007, Series: Sueños, Torn sheet, Variable dimensions. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve
- Luis Roldán, “Agobio”, 2007, Series: Sueños, Torn sheet, Variable dimensions. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve
- Luis Roldán, “Pajarera”, 2009, Series: Circunstancias, Mixed media, Variable dimensions. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve
- Luis Roldán, “Strike Gently II”, 2012, Series: Strike Gently, Books of found matches and cardboard, Variable dimensions. Colección FEMSA. Photo credit: Angela Bonadies
- Luis Roldán, “Numerales II”, 2008-2010, Series: Numerales, Found receipts and acrylic on paper, 100 frames of 31.5 x 24.5 each. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve.
- Luis Roldán, “La pared II”, 2013, Series: La pared, Paper, print paper and metallic frames, Variable dimensions. Photo credit: Oscar Monsalve.
- Luis Roldán, “Wash & Ware”, 2013, Lint from dryer, Variable dimensions. Photo credit: Arturo Sanchez.
Translated from Spanish
Time, the everyday and repetitive actions like filling up, empty out, or repair, are recurring ideas in my work. To me, representing through drawing the distance between my home and the house of my relatives, or the calculation of the times that I take my hand to my mouth when I am smoking—both drawn on pencil over the wall—more than an act of measurement, they are to me a way of shaping everyday experience.
For example, the exercise of walking around the city of San Juan to document a series of constructions, made by the inhabitants of the city with everyday objects, made with the purpose of reserving a parking space. This document resulted in a publication that gathers this form and to which I add a series of drawings that propose the use of these same objects for other purposes or possible sculptures.
Generally, my work ends up becoming drawing, where I utilize a few material and visual resources. I am interested in materials that are easy to obtain, such as Plastiscine for children—which I have used to “repair” cracks on a deteriorated building—or powdered construction pigment, which registers the movement of a ball in a baseball field during a game.
In my most recent projects, I have investigated the visual production that generated from Puerto Rican popular music (Salsa, Bomba, and Plena), during the 60s, 70s and beginning of the 80s. The LP as an object, the graphic design, the typography and the images that are produced through the lyrics, give me the opportunity to make an analysis of the construction of landscape in that specific moment.
El tiempo, lo cotidiano, y las acciones repetitivas, como rellenar, vaciar o reparar son ideas recurrentes en mi trabajo. Representar en dibujo la distancia entre mi residencia y la casa de mis familiares, o bien el cálculo de la cantidad de veces que me llevo la mano a la boca al fumar un cigarrillo (ambos dibujados en lápiz sobre la pared), más que un acto de mensura, son para mi una manera de dar forma a la experiencia cotidiana.
Como es el ejercicio de caminar por la ciudad de San Juan con el fin de documentar una serie de construcciones, hechas por los habitantes de la cuidad con objetos cotidianos, hecho con el propósito de reservar un estacionamiento. Este documento resultó en una publicación que recoge esta forma y en la cual añado una serie de dibujos que proponen el uso de éstos mismos objetos para otras funciones o posibles esculturas.
Generalmente mis trabajos terminan siendo dibujos, donde utilizar pocos recursos materiales y visuales. Me interesan los materiales que me son de fácil acceso, como la plastilina para niños, -que he utilizado para “reparar” grietas en un edificio deteriorado-, o el pigmento de construcción en polvo, con el que queda registrado el movimiento de una bola en un campo de baseball durante un partido.
En mis últimos proyectos me encuentro investigando la producción visual que se generó en la música popular puertorriqueña (salsa, bomba y plena) durante las décadas de los años 60, 70 y principios de los años ochenta. El LP como objeto, el diseño gráfico, la tipografía y las imágenes que se producen en las letras de las canciones, me dan pie a hacer un estudio de la construcción del paisaje en ese momento.
Selected Biographical Information
Education / Training
- Bachillerato (B.A.) en Escultura, Escuela de Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico.
Prizes / Fellowships
- 2011: Art Maters, Beca de investigación artística.
Solo Exhibitions
- 2011: “Andamios”, Galería Casas Riegner, Bogotá, Colombia.
- 2008: “Project Room”, Galería Luisa Strina, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
- 2005: “Project Room, Diálogos”, Espacio 1414, Colección Berezdivin, San Juan, PR.
Group Exhibitions
- 2012: “III Tirenal Poli/Gráfica de San Juan: América Latina y el Caribe”, San Juan, PR.
- 2011: “The Peripatetic School: Itinerant Drawing from Latin America”, Drawing Room, London, UK.
- 2011: ”En obras, Under Construction Art and Architecture in Coleção Teixeira de Freitas”, Tenerife, Spain.
- 2010: “To draw is to write, to write is to draw”, Casas Riegner Gallery, Bogota, Colombia.
- 2009: “Acciones Disolventes, Videoarte latinoamericano”, Centro de cultural Chacao, Venezuela.
Publications
- 2013: Vitamin D2: New Perspectives in Drawing, Phaidon.
- Art Cities of the Future, 21st-Century Avant-Gardes, Phaidon.
- 2011: Malone, Micah, ‘Future Anterior: an index to contemporary art’s imminent history’, Art Paper, November/December.
- 2011: Barson, Tanya and Kate Macfarlane Ed. ‘The Peripatetic School, Itinerant Drawing from Latin America’, Drawing Room. Ridinghouse.
- 2007: Mosaka, Tumelo Ed. ‘Infinte Island, contemporary caribbean art’, Brooklyn Museum, Philip Wilson Publishers.
Collections
- Berezdivin Collection, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Cisneros, NY and Caracas.
- Coleção Teixeira de Freitas, Lisboa.
Links
- Tony Cruz, “Top view of my house and the objects that occupy – 1574.02 meters square – 0.355:30”, 2008, Pencil on paper, 37” x 30”. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Distance drawing, San Juan / Middlesbrough, an attempt to draw the distance from San Juan to Middlesbrough (6728.7347 km). Realized only 0.035549 percent (2,392)”, 2011, Pencil on wall, Site specific project. Location: Middlesbrough, UK. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Distance drawing, San Juan / Bogotá, an attempt to draw the distance from San Juan to Bogotá (1763 km). Realized only 9.132 percent (1610m)”, 2012, Pencil on wall, 2’ x 9’, Site specific. Location: Bogotá Colombia. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Dibujo distancia, 304m al norte del kiosko del Morazán”, 2006, Pencil on vall, Site specific Project. Location: San José, Costa Rica. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Colección de objetos. un peso ($1.00) : marzo 26/10 : thachar”, 2010, Mixed media, Variable dimensions. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Distance drawing, San Juan / London, an attempt to draw the distance from San Juan to London (6,751.2362 km). Realized only 0031890 percent (2,153m)”, 2011, Pencil on wall, approximate 8 x 6 in., Site specific project. Location: London, UK. Photo credit: Drawing Room
- Tony Cruz, “Top view of my house and the objects that occupy – 1574.02 meters square – 0.355:30”, 2008, Pencil on paper, 37 x 30 in. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Five discs -LP- (side A and B) of Ismael Rivera, printed in intaglio on paper vinyl album LP:Esto fue lo que trajo el barco 1972, Traigo de todo 1974, Soy Feliz 1975, Feliz Navidad 1975, De todas maneras rosas 1977”; 2012, Intaglio on paper, 73” x 28”. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Colección de objetos. lápiz-1 : marzo 15/10 : tallar”, 2010, Mixed media, Variable dimensions. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Drawing on ball park, After de Game, the players draw the ball’s trajectory with powder pigment”, 2005, Construction pigments. Site specific project. Location: Vega Alta, Puerto Rico. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Colección de objetos. mapa mundi : marzo 21/10 : tacharw, 2010, Mixed media, Variable dimensions. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Colección de objetos. recibo cigarrillo-3 : marzo 31/10 : tachar”, 2010, Mixed media, Variable dimensions. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Detalle. Distance drawing, San Juan / Bogotá, an attempt to draw the distance from San Juan to Bogotá (1763 km). Realized only 9.132 percent (1610m)”, 2012, Pencil on wall, 2’ x 9’, Site specific Project. Location: Bogotá Colombia. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Drawing on ball park, After de Game, the players draw the ball’s trajectory with powder pigment”, 2003, Construction pigment. Site specific project. Location: Santo Domingo. Image courtesy of the artist.
- Tony Cruz, “Dibujo distancia, San Juan/vega Alta, P.R. (54 Millas)”, 2005, Pencil on wall, Site specific Project. Location: San Juan, PR. Image courtesy of the artist.